Short Update on U-17s

I told you I'd get you results when I knew them and this is what I know: The D.C. United U-17 Academy team lost in penalty kicks to Real Salt Lake this morning in the SUM U-17 Cup. The score was tied 1-1 at regulation.

I don't have any other details besides that, but should have some more info soon and will post it when I get it.

Probably not much of an indicator for dcu's future one way or the other. Some of these players are as good as they are goig to get, some might develop and become pros, who knows. Other than Project Adidas, or whatever it is called, college players are going to have limited impact on DCU, just as their impact is limited, with notable exceptions, on other MLS teams. DCU succeeds by getting quality players on the international market. That is where DCU (and other MLS teams) will succeed or fail, as has historically been the case. The way things are structured now and for the forseeable future, the MLS youth programs might turn out a good or at least serviceable MLS player here and there, but that is about it.

It's just like anywhere else in the world. It's not like Man U's youth program is graduating superstars to the senior squad every year. You invest the time and the money, and with patience you find a couple of players who can be modest contributors to your side.

But the MLS player development program is still an important program in that it is going to just be one more step on the road to improving the level of play overall in our country. Clubs like DC seem to take it pretty seriously. I mean they had a youth system in place before MLS even put the rule in place allowing them to reap the fruits from their labor.

All valid points on the number of kids that actually make it from these "annoited" squads here in this country.

I think you have to see these and other initiatives in the following light: We have a massive country that has an incredible amount of kids who play sports. Other academies around the world can churn out more consistent talent because, well lets face it, they have both the game and the history of a given club on their side to draw in kids who want and can produce.

US Soccer, MLS, etc are going to struggle to do that as both the sport and the teams aren't yet pulling in top athletes yet. You may be able to write off some of the kids now, but this is an investment that's meant to harvest something probably, at the earliest, 10 years from now. It's both on the players and what I will say is a general lack of talent coaching at a youth level.

However, I applaud these boys for their effort last year and if any were on the team this year for the run. While they may never see a minute with the senior team - if just one of them does in the next 8 years, we'll have really achieved something. I hope that all of these kids have role models on the senior team and that their is some real inspiration and dedication to improve this youth team and its competition so that it can in turn help DC United.

From back in my days of playing club soccer for Roanoke Star, if there had been an MLS option, I certainly would have liked to give it a shot. In the hopes that being near professionals and in an environment built to encourage that development it could have helped me achieve a dream of playing professionally one day, but at the very least would have provided me the ability to grow as a player and enjoy the game.

HERE'S TO HOPING THAT THE CLUB WILL INTRODUCE THESE KIDS AT HALFTIME OF A GAME SO THAT WE MAY APPLAUD AND ENCOURAGE THEM AND MAYBE A CHILD IN ATTENDANCE VOWS TO DEVELOP AT OUR ACADEMIES TO WEAR THE BLACK AND RED.

Top quality players have so many options available to them now. There's MLS Youth, Bradenton, Freidel's academy, some outstanding youth clubs (AYSO?), even NCAA all serve as options to the 17-19 year old player. The best players are not all concentrated in one league.

Real youth acadamies start with real young kids and bring them along through age group ajusted drills and competition. Some like Ajax in the Netherlands have produced many top rated international football players and are the mainstay of the clubs success (too many to name but the Dutch NT has been stocked with Ajax youth over the years). We shouldn't be so quick to dismiss what DC United is doing as they seem to be working towards this type of model. It's not something that will mature overnight.

HERE'S TO HOPING THAT THE CLUB WILL INTRODUCE THESE KIDS AT HALFTIME OF A GAME SO THAT WE MAY APPLAUD AND ENCOURAGE THEM AND MAYBE A CHILD IN ATTENDANCE VOWS TO DEVELOP AT OUR ACADEMIES TO WEAR THE BLACK AND RED.

I third the motion to recognize the groms at the next possible appropriate time. How bout on Saturday night!
If even younger children could witness that, it would be awesome.
If the fans of the club can show the kids that they are appreciated to would be a powerful statement.

ChiTown Baller you're a gentleman and a Thugtacular Scholar.
Blanco's actions will only set in motion a culture of violence observed obviously in the same breath as his good deeds in his home country and beyond.
You touch on exactly my feelings from earlier. If MLS wants to sweep this kind of garbage under the rug, the least of their worries are gonna be the gosh Dang streamers!
PiSS and Batteries For Blanco!
I need that sound bite from Do The Right Thing for this.
You know when Radio is like 20 D batteries...
D mother Fr D!

I am a chicago fan, but that punch alone was horrible. I would never support a loser like him again, and here I am thinking that he changed.
Posted by: chi-town baller | July 10, 2008 11:51 PM
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You are an honest person chi-town baller and I salut you for that. I just saw the highlights of the punch last night and yes it was really terrible. He really hit Simms hard with no intention of hitting the ball. The ball already went to the ground first Blanco touched and the second he hit him. Burch's action is bad too but that's been seen to stand up for the team mates through out the world just to push down and the red card is appropriate I think. Something is steering up Blanco's bad temper. Fighting with his team mate according to Tribune.

I caught the first 30 of the fast-paced LA game last night. Jazic had a nasty injury. Beckham was playing very deep and was only playing direct balls (yawn) until he pushed up front, made a great run, and almost had a goal had Guzan not brilliantly come off his line.

It wasn't a clean, beautiful game, but it was interesting. Rising star Sean Franklin was out (2-3 weeks, sprained MCL)...Abel Xavier not even on the roster, despite a thin defense. Looks like Ruiz even played.

two comments: 1. DC got what it deserved. They keep ignoring DC United, the team which has pride and dignity and brings championships to the city's name and representing the city through out the world, yet the city continues to cherish this so called baseball or boring ball team that sits in the dark corner of the country. DC gives over $600 million tax payer money open heartedly to the boring ball team while it refused to even consider paying for DC United for the basic infrustructure money to build no matter what kind of development they will have, a tiny fraction of the generous give away to nats. That alone deserved smack in the face and they are getting it but not only that they contiue wasting tax payer money now on the arbitration crap.
2. national is a disgrace. How in the world they can demand players uniforms for the team from the city? No doubt they will continue to stink and desolve into the anacosta river. and while every day the washingtonpost prints almost two pages of nats garbage on the paper each day, not to mentioned local cheap media tvs have to interrupt with their stories on every single news highlights, yet they are demanding how they are under covered by the post bla bla bla. How disgrace is that?

From someone who saw the majority of the tournament, DC lost for one reason, and his name is James Rogers. He is a 15-year-old refugee from Sierra Lione, and he truly is a star for the future. For those MLS youth system skeptics, remember the name.